Grain-cleaning machine.



J. C. GRAMBR. GRAIN CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION IILED JAN.8,1913.

Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

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APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1913. 1,080,423, Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

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J. G. CRAMER. GRAIN CLEANING MACHINE.

1,080,423. APPLIOATIDN TILED JAN. 8, 1913. Patented Dec. 2,

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J. 0. GRAMER. GRAIN CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1913, 1,080,423. Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

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J. O. ORAMER. GRAIN CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.B,1913. 1,080,423.

Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

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JOSEPH C. CRA'MER, OF ROSEBURG, OREGON.

GRAIN-CLEANING MACHINE.

Application filed January 8, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrn C. CRAMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roseburg, in the county of Douglas and State of Oregon, have invented new and useful Improvements in Grain-Cleaning Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to grain cleaning machines, the object in view being to produce a novel type of machine having in combination three eflicient agencies, viz: drying, scouring, and cleaning elements operating in conjunction, a further object in view being to construct a machine embodying simplicity, utility, and commercial practicability, comprising a central cylindrical shell casing positioned between two frusto-conical shell casings, and all rotatable on a horizontal axis. In combination with such sectional casings, a separate inner shaft is positioned to turn in the opposite direction to the frusto-members, also on a horizontal axis, and positioned on said shaft is a series of skeleton wheels of variable diameters, with brush and stone segments mounted on the peripheries thereof to give a securing and cleaning efficiency by gravitation of the grain.

As a whole, the machine is adapted for drying, screening and scouring cereals, whereby the gains are prepared for the grinding mills, and whereby a whole wheat flour is produced, the product requiring no further treatment after leaving the machine, such as bolting, bleaching, or other manipulation to separate the middlings.

Wheat, as is well known, is made up of a cent .11 portion of starchy cells surrounded by gluten cells containing nitrogenous or proteid matter, which builds up tissue. The germinal portion located in one end of the kernel contains phosphates which possess great food value, as do the inner layers of the husk inclosing the kernel. That portion of the wheat between the central starchy portion and the husk is called the middlings. This is the most valuable part of the wheat for making a nutritious light bread. By the modern processes ordinarily used, the middlings are almost entirely eliminated, leaving nothing more than the starchy contents of the kernel. By the use Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

Serial No. 740,845.

of this invention, I am able, in one machine, to dry, screen, and scour the grain, in such manner that the kernels of the grains retain the full feed values of the middlings, as well as the starchy contents.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a grain cleaning machine, embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is an end view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the machine. Fig. 1 is a cross section through the center of the machine on the line 1-4 of Fig. 1, including the hopper and divider. Fig. 5 is a cross section taken near one of the sprocket wheels and screens on the line 5--5 of Fi 1. Fig. 6 is a cross section through the an casing on the line (5--6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a cross section through the discharge casing on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of the central portion of the casing, showing the charging gate. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the base, showing a plurality of heaters, and the connections leading thereto. Fig. 10 is a detail view of one scouring wheel, omitting one or two segments. Fig. 11 is a detail view of one of the brush segments.

The grain cleaning machine contemplated in this invention comprises a machine frame which is shown as consisting of four main corner posts or uprights 1, connected at or near the top by the parallel longitudinal side bars 2, and at the opposite ends by the cross bars 3. The uprights or posts 1 and the longitudinal bars 2 are preferably made of tubing, and are connected together by sheet metal clips or straps 4. The cross bars 3 are preferably square or rectangular in cross section, in order to better accommodate the bearings hereinafter referred to, and are also connected to the posts 1 by similar metal straps or clips 5. Caps (3 close the upper ends of the posts 1. The longitudinal bars 2 are connected near the center thereof by pa 'allel cross bars 7, secured to the longitudinal bars by sheet metal clips or straps 8, said bars 7 being adapt-ed to support a centrally arranged hopper 9, in the lower contracted portion of which is arranged a slide gate 10, so as to adapt the contents of the hopper to be discharged into the main casing of the cleaning machine, hereinafter described.

A rotary casing is mounted to turn on a horizontal axis, and is arranged directly under the hopper 10. This casing comprises a central cylindrical section 11, and two frusto-conical sections 12 arranged at opposite sides thereof, and provided at their larger ends with flanges 13, through which thumb screws 1% are inserted into the cylin drical section 11 for fastening all three sections of the rotary casing together. The sections 11 and 12 of the casing are designed to be formed out of thin sheet metal, and each of said sections may in turn be made up of a plurality of sections riveted together, as indicated in the drawings Extending around within the cylindrical section and adjacent to the periphery thereof is an annular screen 15 which is interrupted at one point to leave a charging and discharging orifice 16 adapted to be opened and closed by a sliding gate 17 mounted to operate between and within suitable parallel guides 18 extending laterally outward to one side of the cylindrical section of the casing, said slidin gate being provided with a knob or hanc le 19 to facilitate opening and closing the same. The cylindrical section 11 of the casing is also provided with a charging and discharging orifice 20, by means of which grain may be introduced into the casing as a whole and discharged therefrom, after it has been thoroughly scoured and cleaned. The orifices in the screen and cylindrical section of the casing are of suitable size to register with the bottom of the hopper above described, so as to receive the grain therefrom.

Beneath the cylindrical section of the casing is arranged a divider box 21., having eX- tending therethrough a rock shaft 22, upon which is mounted a divider board 23 adapted to be swung to one side or the other by turning said shaft, for the purpose of diverting the contents of the casing either into a grain spout adapted to carry off the clean grain or into another spout or chute for carrying off the refuse.

24L designates the main shaft of the machine, upon which the brushing and scouring elements are mounted, as herein after described. The casing embodying the sections 11 and 12 is also mounted to turn on said shaft, said casing being provided with bearing sleeves or hollow shaft sections 25, as shown, and in the preferred embodiment of this invention, the said sleeves are in the form of ball bearing boXes, the balls resting and running in contact with the shaft, so as to enable the casing to revolve around the same with a minimum amount of friction.

. At the opposite ends of the rotary casing sprocket wheels 26 and 27 are fastened to the casing and adapted to rotate therewith, said sprocket wheels being driven by chains 28 running over the smaller sprocket wheels 29 011 the upper counter shaft 30 extending parallel to the shaft 34. Secured to the spokes of each of said sprocket wheels is a screen 31, the purpose of which is to retain the grain within the'casing, while allowing a blast of air to pass longitudinally through the casing, in order to carryofi the scourings and other like material. At its outer side, each sprocket wheel comprises an annular inwardly extending flange 32 which forms a bearing abutment against an adjacently located cylindrical stationary chamber. These two chambers, designated at 33 and 34:, are arranged outside of and beyond the screens referred to, and in the chamber 33 is mounteda rotary fan 35 which directs a current of air through the adja cent screen and thence longitudinally through the rotary casing and finally through the screen at the opposite end of the casing into the discharge chamber 34, which is provided in the bottom thereof with a discharge spout 36 adapted to have a suitable receptacle placed beneath the same to receive the material blown outward through the screens by means of said fan.

Each of the chambers 33 and 34: is supported by means of oppositely arranged parallel posts 37 passing through eyes 38 at diametrically opposite sides of the chamber and provided at their lower ends with flanges 39, by means of which they are secured to a suitable base or floor, represented at 40. The corner posts 1 above referred to are seated in sockets 41 secured to the same floor or base 40.

Mounted fast on the shaft 2a and within the central cylindrical section 11 of the casing is a brush wheel 42 havin wire brushes 4-3 projecting beyond the lateral face thereof, as clearly illustrated, said brushes serving to take up the grain and throw the same in opposite directions into the frusto-conical end portions or sections of the casing. It may be stated at this point that when the machine is in full operation, the shaft 2a and the elements carried thereby are revolved in one direction, while the casing is rotated in the opposite direction, and at a lower rate of speed. At opposite sides of the central brush wheel 42, series of scouring wheels 44: are mounted fast on the shaft 2%, and the scouring wheels contained in the frusto-conical portions of the casing are made of progressively decreasing diameter, so as toconform to the space in which they operate, thereby leaving annular scouring spaces between the several wheels and facilitating their action upon the grains which tend to move backward toward the central portion of the easing, after they have been scattered outwardly therefrom in opposite directions by the brush wheel.

Each of the wheels 42 and is comprises a hub 45 fastened to the shaft 24L by means of one or more set screws 46, a rim 47, and connecting spokes 4L8. Side rim plates 49 are secured to the opposite faces of the rim, as shown, so as to provide outwardly projecting flanges 50. Furthermore, the spokes are extended outwardly beyond the rim, and the plates are also provided with extensions 51 secured to the opposite faces of the spokes, thereby providing additional oppositely arranged end flanges 59, the purpose of which will presently appear. In this way, a circular series of sockets are formed, each of which is designed to receive one of a circular series of segments 53, each segment being held. between the flanges formed by the rim plates ust hereinabove described. In order to more securely retain the ments in place, turn buttons 54- are secured to the outer extremities of the spokes, the opposite end of the button projecting over the peripheral corners of the segments and preventing any possibility of the segments being thrown out of Place.

The segments 53 of the laterally arranged wheels are composed of emery, sand, grit, or any like substance, combined with a suitable binder to retain the same in shape, the said segments operating with a scouring action on the grain. The segments 53' of the brush wheel are similar to those just described, but are equipped in addition thereto with wire brushes 55, consisting, for convenience, of short sections of twisted wire cable, said brushes extending through holes 56 bored transversely through the sections and being cemented or otherwise held in said holes.

Mounted on the end portions of the shaft 24- are fast and loose pulleys 57 and 58 adapted to receive belts from a suitable motor, and by preference the pulleys are of the governor type, so as to insure the re tation of the shaft 2t at a regular speed. The counter shaft 30 is also provided with sets of fast and loose pulleys 59 and (50 to receive belts driven in an opposite direction, so as to impart a rotary movement to said counter shaft. The driving belts are so arranged as to rotate the casing in one directi on, and the scouring wheels in the opposite direction, and at a slightly higher rate of speed than the casing. '61 designates roller bearing boxes for the shafts 2st and 30, the same being secured to the end cross bars of the frame, as shown.

In connection with the rotary casing hereinabove described, I employ a heater which is shown for convenience as embodying a pair of gasolene burners 02 arranged on the supporting floor or base underneath the easing, and having a gasolene pipe (33 leading thereto from a. gasolene tank (let arranged at a convenient point and provided with a fillingcap (55.

By means of the construction hereinabove described, it will be seen that in the operation of the grain cleaning machine, the annular screen in the central cylindrical section of the casing will separate from the grains all cockle, grass seed, and other foreign matter which may be dumped with the. grain from the hopper in the casing, the said foreign matter passing out through the discharge orifice in the cylindrical section of the casing, and being diverted by the divider board beneath to the proper conveying chute. During the operation of the machine, a constant blast; of air is passing through the casing, thereby carrying off the dry dust and particles scoured from the grain.

The machine may, of course, be made of any suitable size, and will ordinarily be of a size su'tlicient to operate upon one or two bushels of grain at a time. After the casing has received its charge of grain, the heater lighted and the casing is revolved for a sullicient length of time. to thoroughly dry out the grain. The time necessary for this operation is arrived at by a test of the particular class of grain to be operated upon. After being sure that the grain is in a dry condition, the shaft 2-1: is then set in operation, and the brush and scouring wheels are rapidly revolved in the casing, and in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the casing. The brush wheel scatters the grains laterally through or between the spokes and around the peripheries of the scouring wheels in opposite directions all thrmigh the frusto-eonical sect-ions thereof, and the grains find their way between the scouring wheels which operate thereon, in a manner readily understood, the grains tending by gravity to find their way back to the central cylindrical section of the casing. After this operation has been carried on for the proper length of time, previously ascertained by test, the discharge orifice of the casing is brought over the divider box, and the divider board is then set to direct the cleaned grain into the proper chute for carrying the same oil to the desired point.

that is claimed is:

1. In a grain cleaning machine, the combination of a machine frame, a rotary casing revoluble on a horizontal axis and em bodying reversely arranged frusto-emiical. sections having their larger ends arranged toward each other, a central cylindrical section interposed between the frusto-conical sections, and an annular screen in said cen tral chamber in spaced relation to the outer wall thereof forming a peripheral screening chamber from which the foreign matter is discharged.

2. In a grain cleaning machine, the combination of a machine frame, a rotary casing revoluble on a horizontal axis and embodying reversely arranged frusto-conical sections having their larger ends arranged toward each other, a rotary shaft extending axially through said casing, a centrally arranged brush wheel fast on said shaft, and scouring wheels fast on said shaft and spaced apart to form annular grain spaces.

8. In a grain cleaning machine, the combination of a machine frame, a rotary casing revoluble on a horizontal axis and embodying reversely arranged frusto-conical sections having their larger ends arranged toward each other, a rotary shaft extending axially through said casing, scouring wheels fast on said shaft and spaced apart to form annular grain spaces, screens across the oppcsite ends of the casing, and a fan located beyond one of said screens.

4. In a grain cleaning machine, the combination of a machine frame, a rotary casing revoluble on a horizontal axis and embodying reversely arranged frusto-conical sections having their larger ends arranged toward each other, a rotary shaft extending axially through said casing, scouring wheels fast on said shaft and spaced apart to form annular grain spaces, screens across the opposite ends of the casing, a fan chamber at one end of the casing, a fan therein, and a discharge chamber at the opposite end of the casing.

5. In a grain cleaning machine, the combination of a machine frame, a rotary casing revoluble on a horizontal axis and embodying reversely arranged frustoconical sections having their larger ends arranged toward each other, a rotary shaft extending axially through said casing, scouring wheels fast on said shaft and spaced apart to form annular grain spaces, screens across the opposite ends of the casing, a fan chamber at 50 one end of the casing, a fan therein, and a discharge chamber at the opposite end of the casing, said fan and discharge chambers being stationary and forming bearing abutments for the rotary casin 6, In a grain cleaning machine, the combination of a machine frame, a rotary casing revoluble on a horizontal axis and embodying reversely arranged frusto-conical sections having their larger ends arranged toward each other, a rotary shaft extending axially through said casing, and a spoked wheel fast on said shaft and embodying a circular series of segments which operate on the grain, the rim of said Wheel being cut 65 away at regular intervals to form sockets in which the segments are detachably secured.

I In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

, JOSEPH G. CRAMER. Witnesses:

l/VM. A. LEWIS, WV. W. ELDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

